The Sweetest Pick-Me-Up
by HecateA
Summary: A surprise visit from his wife is everything Paul needs to survive a mind-numbingly tedious Parent's Evening. Oneshot.


**Author's note: **Just wanted some of their wholesome, middle-aged love to warm my heart. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **The following characters belong to Rick Riordan, and this story derives from his original works, storylines, and world. Please do not sue me, I can barely pay tuition.

**Warnings: **NA

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**The Sweetest Pick-Me-Up**

Goode High School's gym was full of tables and chairs and because teachers were seated in alphabetical order, all the other English teachers were far, far away from Paul. In between 10-minute appointments with parents who wanted to chat about their children's progress, he was absolutely, incredibly, and atrociously bored. He'd been told not to bring a book because it supposedly looked unprofessional and he hadn't wanted to bring any grading since some students wandered around too. Instead, he was doodling on a scrap piece of paper in front of him, trying to see what anagrams he could make out of idioms.

"Working hard, I see," someone said.

He looked up just in time to see his wife swinging into the chair in front of him, her pea coat unbuttoned so he saw that she was wearing her favourite dress—navy, flowy, and patterned with flowers. She'd pulled her hair out of its workday clip and curls hung around her face haphazardly. She smiled.

"You look bored out of your mind," she said with a hint of laughter in my voice.

"Get me out of here," Paul whispered. "I keep blinking twice but nobody's come to help."

Sally laughed.

"I can't do that, but I did bring you this," she said, materializing a tupperware out of her purse.

"Oh my gosh," Paul breathed. "What is it?"

"One way to find out," she said, putting the mysterious container down on the table and reaching into her purse to find a fork for him as well.

He popped the container open and his jaw dropped.

"You made cheesecake brownies," Paul whispered in awe. Sally laughed.

"Percy and Annabeth both needed a study break, so they helped," she said.

"Did you bring all the teachers dessert or am I special?" Paul asked through a mouthful of brownie. He wasn't going to wait a moment longer before devouring these.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Sally said, the corner of her mouth lifting up like it did whenever she made a joke.

"Thank you, it's delicious," Paul said. "You threw in pecans this time, didn't you?"

"And hazelnuts," Sally said.

"This is absolutely going to get me through the rest of tonight, thank you so much," Paul said. "Did you talk to all of Percy's teachers yet?"

Sally nodded. Paul offered her a mouthful of brownie and she opened her mouth, so he fed it to her.

"He's doing really well," Sally admitted. "Everybody says they can see him working hard, and he's speaking up more in class or with classmates than he used to. He's getting an A- in biology, he hadn't told us that."

"Wow," Paul said. "Good for him."

Sally nodded. "I think… he's in a better place now, without the war and with Annabeth… His life is never going to be as easy as I'd want it for him, but he's gotten to be a teenager this semester and… well, I always knew he was a good kid but it's nice that he's been able to _be _a kid for a while."

"Good," Paul nodded. "That's really good. I'm happy for him."

Sally pulled his schedule of meetings towards her and then checked her watch.

"Well, someone booked your next appointment slot but I'm glad I got to squeeze in," Sally said. "I'd kiss you, but I don't want the other parents to get ideas."

Paul laughed.

"I'll see you at home," he said.

"Where there are more brownies waiting for you," Sally said, standing up and swinging her purse over her shoulder.

"And you, most importantly," Paul said. She gave him another smile before turning away and disappearing into the crowd.

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**Stacked with: **MC4A; Shipping Wars; Hogwarts

**Individual Challenge(s): **Ways to the Heart; Fall Leaves; Mountain Dwellers; Old Shoes; Themes & Things A (Love); Themes & Things B (Loneliness); Themes & Things D (Dress); Themes & Things F (Energy); Ethnic & Present; Rian-Russo Inversion; In a Flash

**Word Count: **707

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_**Shipping Wars**_

**Ship (Team): **Sally Jackson/Paul Blofis

**List (Prompt): **Spring Big List (Baked Goods)


End file.
